Sulli, K-Pop Star, Found Dead in Her Apartment at Age 25

The K-Pop community is mourning the loss of one of its brightest stars.

Sulli, a former member of the popular girl group f(x), was found dead in her Sujeong-gu apartment on Monday afternoon local time. She was 25.

South Korean police confirmed her death to CNN, saying her body was discovered by her manager on the second floor of her house.

An exact cause of death is still under investigation, CNN reported. Initial evidence, including a note found at the scene, indicates that Sulli died by suicide, authorities said — though they “will leave all possibilities open and investigate.”

Until then, Sulli’s talent agency SM Entertainment asked fans not to jump to conclusions.

“Please refrain from spreading speculative articles or rumors in respect of the bereaved’s family who are saddened by the sudden tragedy,” they said in a statement to local press.

“We are sorry to tell everyone the sorrowful and sad news. Sulli has left us. We cannot believe the situation and we are simply in a state of grief,” the statement also read. “We express our deepest condolences to the deceased, who went on their final path.”

Sulli began her career in show business as a child actor.

She joined f(x) in 2009, though left the group in 2015 to return to acing (including a role in the 2017 superhero film, Real). She only recently tried her hand at music again, releasing a solo song, “Goblin” in June 2019.

Throughout her time in the spotlight, Sulli spoke out about her feminist ideals, setting her apart from her contemporaries in deeply conservative South Korea. She remained candid about the pressures she felt from the industry and the effect those had on her mental health.

Back in 2018, she revealed she had suffered panic disorders from a young age. “Even close people left me,” she said on the reality TV show Jinri Store, according to The Guardian. “I was hurt by them and felt there was nobody who understands me, which made me fall apart.”

A recent Instagram video show Sulli crying while telling her followers, “I’m not a bad person,” The Guardian reported.

Earlier this month, she appeared on the South Korean TV series Reply Night, where she admitted that she was struggling with depression amid online bullying and harassment.

“My life is actually empty, so I feel like I’m lying to everyone by pretending to be happy on the outside,” she confessed, according to local reports. “I asked around a lot for advice. They told me, ‘Everyone has a dark side in their lives but they live pretending that they don’t. Don’t think of it as weird.'”

She went on to say that she continues to pretend to be happy, and “simply live a two-sided life.”

In the wake of her death, K-Pop fans rallied to offer Sulli support.”In heaven, you don’t have to act strong or pretend everything is okay,” one fan said. “I hope you will only think about yourself there.”

“She was so gorgeous,” another fan said. “Shame on all who caused her to suffer.”

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “home” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.